AUTOSHIFTS

[Jack_07]

I like the automatics, but I just wished they had more engine power to pull heavy loads up mountains faster than 25 mph.

The one thing you don't hear an auto do is grind gears because of a missed gear sequence.

[flood]

I like the automatics, but I just wished they had more engine power to pull heavy loads up mountains faster than 25 mph.

The one thing you don't hear an auto do is grind gears because of a missed gear sequence.

little miss understanding it's not the auto-shift that is slowing you on the hill it's the HP has been truned down.

companies turn down the trucks, i had an 05 FL that detroit truned up and the thing pulled and i mean it PULLED the hills then i had an 06 same everything and it almost couldn't go up a hill.

don't let it downshift at 1050 like it wants to try downing shifting at 1275. it will pull better.

we run the same hills all the time and when i downshift it at 1275 we pull if faster then when she lets it do it at 1050

[GMAN]

I drove an auto shift for several months. It was in a Volvo. My fuel mileage was less than when I drove a Peterbilt with a 10 speed. In fairness the Volvo was new and not yet broken in. The Volvo had a Cummins and the Pete had a Detroit. I love the auto shift in heavy Chicago rush hour traffic, but don't care for the way they shift in mountains. Over all, I prefer a manual transmission. I think it will be some time before the auto shifts will be in the majority of trucks, if ever.

is one of your trucks volvo Mike and if so whats it like?

The Volvo was several years ago. I now have a International and KW. I really liked the Volvo. It was very comfortable. The large windows take some getting used to when you come out of a Peterbilt and the smaller windows. The Volvo cab was very open and spacious. Driving a Volvo is more like being in a car. It is very quiet. I recall not feeling so tired with the Volvo. Some of it may have been the autoshift, but I am certain that part of it was the ride. Volvo has done a great job of getting a good ride out of a short wheelbase. Backing into tight spaces was great in the Volvo. I think Volvo and Freightliner are probably the easiest to back in tight areas. The down side to a Volvo is working on the engine. The engine is set back under the firewall. That can make it somewhat difficult and expensive when it comes time to work on the engine. If I could get the right deal in a Volvo, I would buy one. However, I still prefer a straight shift transmission over an autoshift. Besides, I believe you can no longer get a CAT in Volvo. Most people get good fuel economy with their Volvo's. I didn't do as well with the Cummins and auto shift. They are good trucks as long as you stay away from the Volvo engines. I think that they make a good engine, but if you ever need work done, you will likely need to go to a dealer who may or may not have the right parts.

[heavyhaulerss]

just wondering what part of tn you from ? i live on the al/tn line. i load out of decatur al. lot of steel mills there. you ever load/unload there ? are you leased to a co in tn ? asking cause maybe i'll hear ya on the radio if ya run near al/ tn area. i run i-65 n & s mainly. always willing to talk to friendly people & shoot the sh-t

[flood]

just wondering what part of tn you from ?

3min in the car 5min in the truck from the tn/ky,

we're co drivers as the co will not lease the volvo's and we don't like the FL,KW,or pete's. the volvo 780 has the best ride and the bigger sleeper
this time of year we run e-w i70,80,90. summer it's e-w i10,20,40. alway joking with my friends about why it is that in the summer we spend all our time running below i40 and in the winter all we see is snow :shock:

[silvan]

...stay away from the Volvo engines. I think that they make a good engine, but if you ever need work done, you will likely need to go to a dealer who may or may not have the right parts.

I'd definitely agree with that concern. I remember having to find a shop to get some critical work done. It ate a lot of my day, and wrecked my schedule, but it was nothing compared to the poor guy with a Volvo engine who had already been sitting there for two days at this dealership. I was talking to him when the FedEx truck ran, and his part wasn't on it; maybe tomorrow, sorry about that. Another day wasted. I have no idea how long he sat there, but it put the idea in my head I probably never wanted to run a truck with a Volvo engine.

[Jack_07]

well one thing about and auto truck is you don't have problems coming home and driving you automatic sar lol

[silvan]

well one thing about and auto truck is you don't have problems coming home and driving you automatic car lol

Well, I've been driving a manual truck and automatic cars my whole career, and I manage to cope with the transition just fine. The only problem I have in a car is there's no trailer brake lever.

I've never driven an auto in a truck. I like the idea. Just because I *can* change a million gears a day, I wouldn't mind letting a machine do it for me. But since I tend to drive trucks that are at least 10 years old, I don't expect to see an auto for a long time, if ever.

[Jack_07]

well I will let ya know how it goes with mine, I got a brand new USX frieghtliner ST, lease truck, autoshift, with manual capabilities. But with only 435 horses.

I still think it shifts slow, usually shifts at 1600 rpms, and has it in gear at 1200 to 1300 rpms.
Going thoruogh the mountains you have to use the manual shift. I make it change gears from 10th gear to 9th gear at 65 mph at the bottom of the hill to help keep my speed up cause the darn thing in auto only shifts in a certain range, and by that time you can only climb them mtns at about 35 mph.